Charlie Schouten

The developer’s proposals for more than 1,200 homes at Gould Street in Manchester’s Northern Gateway have been dusted off after nearly two years.

MCR first revealed plans to build up to 1,219 homes on the 6.7-acre site across a series of blocks, ranging between six and 25 storeys, in November 2017. At the time, the project was expected to have a gross development value of £250m.

However, while a planning application was expected in 2017 or early 2018, the scheme was not progressed.

MCR is now understood to be revisiting its proposal as momentum builds around the £1bn Northern Gateway, driven by Manchester City Council and its development partner FEC.

The developer is believed to be holding early-stage meetings about the next steps for the site; a timescale has not yet been set on when a fresh planning application will be submitted, but pre-application discussions have been held with the council.

The Gould Street site is currently vacant having previously been home to a gas works and a call centre. It was fully remediated in 2011 and acquired by MCR from National Grid, and currently hosts surface car parking. Nearby, FEC is delivering its £200m MeadowSide residential project around Angel Gardens.

It has long been earmarked for residential development by Manchester City Council and forms part of the New Cross Neighbourhood Development Framework.

The Gould Street site and its surroundings make up Zone C of the development area. A masterplan for this area was prepared for the council by planner Turley and architect Mecanoo in May 2016.

In a statement to Place North West, Nick Lake, asset manager at MCR Property Group, said: “MCR is currently in the pre-application stage with regards to Gould Street and has had numerous discussions with Manchester City Council. Our plans for the site are outlined by our current proposals, whereby the density remains unchanged. This is an exciting opportunity to regenerate an area of the city that has been neglected.”

Elsewhere within New Cross, FEC has submitted plans for an 80-home scheme at Manchester’s Addington Street, designed by architect Hawkins\Brown.

Despite New Cross being included in the wider Northern Gateway masterplan, the existing strategic regeneration framework is likely to remain in place as plans progress. In total, the Northern Gateway is set to provide more than 10,000 homes, a public park, a transport interchange, commercial space and offices, developed across neighbourhoods stretching from Victoria Station to Collyhurst.